Steps to improve quality in the compounding lab.

Quality-control guidelines and processes have progressed considerably in the past eight years since the first publication of the United States Pharmacopeia regulations. Many state boards of pharmacy have put additional emphasis on quality control in their regulations. Fortunately, there are many resources available to the compounding pharmacist today, from third-party quality-control testing laboratories to extensive training programs to assist in the goal of operating at the highest quality levels. This article provides some common-sense steps to improve the quality of a compounding pharmacy's preparations.